


Come fetch my smile (if you dare)

by capriciouspineapple



Category: TOMORROW X TOGETHER | TXT (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Established Choi Beomgyu/Choi Yeonjun, First Dates, First Kiss, First Time, Fluff, Idiots in Love, Inspired by Real Events, M/M, Mentioned Choi Soobin, Mutual Pining, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-11
Updated: 2020-11-11
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:28:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27507631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/capriciouspineapple/pseuds/capriciouspineapple
Summary: Beomgyu loves to capture the most beautiful moment in his life with his instant camera.And then there’s Yeonjun, who doesn’t let Beomgyu’s sentimentality flows.Beomjun first date inspired by the nine failed polaroids Beomgyu took of Yeonjun in To-Do Ep. 11-12
Relationships: Choi Beomgyu/Choi Yeonjun
Comments: 6
Kudos: 47





	Come fetch my smile (if you dare)

> _[You’ve got a new message!]_
> 
> _YJ 🦊💛_
> 
> _wait at main lib yo_

Choi Beomgyu stares at the screen of his smartphone with sparkling eyes. His hands grip tightly onto the device, as he glances at the sender’s profile picture again. He lets out a chortle. Not that Beomgyu has never received this kind of message from Choi Yeonjun before. It is the other way round — Yeonjun and Beomgyu have been friends for at least a year. Ever since Yeonjun's heartfelt welcomings in the dance club, he has been bragging about this blossoming friendship. It may sound weird, but to be able to befriend one of the most popular seniors as a freshman, Beomgyu craves for all the praises and attention he can ever get. 

But this is not the focus of today.

What’s more important is that this is the first time Choi Beomgyu goes on a date with Choi Yeonjun. As boyfriends.

His stomach flutters butterflies when he thinks of the new title. In fact, too many butterflies to a point he puts on the sweetest smile one can ever pull.

To celebrate their first date, Beomgyu has been brainstormings ways to make it much more romantic and memorable. However, his preference for the extravaganza is getting in his own way: perhaps a candlelit supper in a fancy restaurant would really suit the first-date vibe, but Beomgyu’s allowance does not let them do so, and this is not what they would usually go for either. They may also go to the mountain top and enjoy the stars while having a picnic, yet he is no driver — instead of hiking their way to the peak and ending up drained from sweats, a car would come in handy for the scenario. Or even, Beomgyu can spice it up by doing it in an old-school style: building up a campfire decorated by rose petal hearts at the beach. It is worth a try to surprise and impress Yeonjun-hyung, but it may also probably ruin the mood, he is not sure whether his hyung will enjoy the idea or not.

Anyhow, the thoughts of making Yeonjun-hyung happy makes Beomgyu feel hot around his ears. He is really smitten with him, isn’t he?

As anticlimactic as it is, Beomgyu does none of those above. Alternatively, he brought an instant camera with him before he went back to school today. Instead of making the first date as lavish as he can, Beomgyu decides taking pictures on the first date is a better option. As in, to make this once-in-a-lifetime memory long-lasting and durable. That is also what Beomgyu loves to do as well, as he has been fond of instant cameras for quite a while. Precisely, he loves to watch the picture slowly develops in the film. You never know how the photo turns out until the image is fully diffused and transferred to the surface. And when the final product is out, he usually holds straight the polaroid again to have a good look. With the laminated plastic against his touch, a gush of wistful memories flashes in his brain. Beomgyu always adores these small episodes in his life. He even ponders, if Yeonjun is the epitome of his romantic life, then polaroids should be the epitome of his nostalgia. 

It is one-thirty already. Beomgyu, leaning against the front gate of the library, bites his lips at unease. He quickly shoves his duffle bag to the front and unzips it. Here he sees his baby blue instant camera still lying comfortably inside. He exhales gently, pulls the zipper again, a faint smile appears on his face. Yeonjun-hyung better appreciates his efforts. 

So he vows, hand clutching the garment covering his chest. Choi Beomgyu will devote his whole heart to not only enjoying his first date today, but also to record every single detail of it, using his trusty instant camera. In this way, Choi Beomgyu will be able to collect enough memories for them to enjoy when they become old together, and to —

Beomgyu jolts up his head as he catches a blonde human treading his way closer at his peripheral vision. He takes this chance to skim through his look. Yeonjun wears a black leather jacket today, complemented with a turtleneck sweater and tight jeans. The older boy probably notices Beomgyu’s gaze too, as he starts running towards him, eyes glisten with joy. How his smile radiates so much warmth even from a distance.

This Choi Yeonjun, the renowned heartthrob in their college, the dancer boy who had it all, is officially his boyfriend. 

His mind goes completely blank. His heart skipped a beat.

He inhales hard for a puff of fresh air. 

“Hey Beom— ah I mean, BG, yo!”

“Ahh— YJ~!” Beomgyu realizes his voice tightens when he calls his hyung the usual way, as they fistbump and hug each other on the shoulders. The gangster-like nicknames are what Beomgyu came up one day to hyper his hyung up, and Yeonjun somehow went along with it. It soon becomes a friendship code, an inside joke kind of thing, exclusive to the two funky boys. Despite the friendly rapport, the younger boy is not satisfied at all. He desperately wants to give the older boy a full-on body-to-body embrace, or to boldly do something intimate as a kickstart of their sweet first date. He desperately needs him to know he loves him just the same, in returns for the big smile on his hyung’s face at this moment — Yeonjun-hyung must be really in love with him. Nonetheless, they haven’t officially announced their relationship. To be close with such a famous person at school comes with a cost: everyone is watching you in every part of the campus. 

His panic suddenly thrives. Frankly, Beomgyu has no idea how to be Yeonjun's boyfriend, and he bets Yeonjun-hyung has the same issue as well. Being best friends for long, they have used to be the standard besties people can ever imagine. Wherever they go, they always come in a package — Beomgyu strings along Yeonjun whenever the older is invited to any events: parties, mass dance events, or even study sessions. And if their own friends need one of them, and they cannot find him in his own dorm, rest assured he is going to be in the other's room. Beomgyu and Yeonjun are an unseparated duo, a couple of best friends for life — as if they can’t live without each other. 

It rings a harness in Beomgyu’s mind, as he remembers the day when they confessed their feelings to each other. Long story short, it was Choi Soobin who accidentally did the cupid’s work, when Soobin hyung slipped out of his mouth about Yeonjun’s semi-finalized confession plan. Well, more like Soobin gives in when Beomgyu keeps nudging and annoying him to spill the truth when he saw that single notification on Soobin’s phone, sent by the one and only Choi Yeonjun who was only asking for opinions. Beomgyu still remembers the day when they finally met each other after the chaos, face to face sitting in the cafeteria. Heart pumping so fast, as if millions of deers were sprinting across his chest. It was on this day they finally admit their longing fascination towards each other, of how their friendship started to blossom into romantic likings and desires. Beomgyu still recalls the lack of eye contact and the awkward hug at the end — he still remembers the sweet scent Yeonjun-hyung had in his body when their bodies collided. To be fair, they were both overloaded with nervousness and excitement at that time. But how they acted really resemble the usual representation of puppy love, which was not what Beomgyu presumed he would be when it comes to romance. 

Beomgyu is too mesmerized by the memories he nearly chuckles out loud now, even with Yeonjun's presence right in front of him. 

So he gulps, to get rid of any thoughts to shower his hyung with affections just yet. 

“So umm... how’s school?” Yeonjun throws in a question that catches Beomgyu off guard. “It’s okay?...... Hyung you really sound like my mother now...”

Silence slowly smothers the air until Yeonjun coughs. “...let’s get out of this place first,” Yeonjun mutters under his breath. Beomgyu, pretending as if the atmosphere doesn’t bother him, replies afterwards, “Sure thing hyung~” 

Surprise surprise, they actually talk about school. Like most of the college students, all they do is to complain about their professors, or gossip about scandals occurred in the club, and update each other on their recent school workloads. The conversation becomes energetic when they hop onto a bus to the city centre and secure seats for both of them, as they start discussing where their first destination will be. The empty-headed Beomgyu suggests playing at the arcade just like they are used to, and Yeonjun agrees, his mouth sets in a slight sneer. 

“Watch me beating you inside out again!” Beomgyu scoffs at his reaction, “Hey! I am so gonna beat your last record!”

At least they now behave like their usual selves, Beomgyu sighs at ease. For the time being, he only needs to worry about his heart doing all the stupid races and tinkling, just because he is next to the Choi Yeonjun. Though, only Choi Yeonjun can make Beomgyu’s heart flutter into pieces, complimenting with attractive apparel, and a pretty smile on his pretty face. Therefore, to subtly return the favour, he is still going after the initial plan: to take as many pictures as possible. Beomgyu finishes the mental self-note as his hand subliminally gets to the duffle bag. The rigidness of the instant camera against the silky texture of the bag comforts him well. He is so going to do it. 

It was until the moment he felt a swift warmth brushes against his left hand, right on the pinky. 

Beomgyu was a bit startled with the sudden touch, in fact too startling his whole body twitched and tilted far beyond the opposite direction until his face nearly touches the window sill of the bus. He retreated his hand as a reflex and glanced to the left side, just to see who was the culprit of the jumpscare. 

Of course, it was no one but Choi Yeonjun and his complicated expression. 

“What… what was that?” “I… hyung who does it like that?” “Who _flinches_ like that? It’s just my fingertip?” “I...I thought it was some kind of bug!!!” “Choi Beomgyu really? I was just trying to hold your hand!” “Can’t you just firmly hold it? Are you a coward?” “What do you mean, a coward?!” “Well, it just so happens that you can’t hold someone’s hand tightly. I don’t make the rules here, coward~” “And you’re wrong!” “You kinda just prove yourself wrong—“ “—because I’m your boyfriend!”

Everything happens in just a split second: Yeonjun-hyung calling Beomgyu his boyfriend, grabbing his left hand again with a firm grip, and yanking it to his side for an adjustment. Eventually, the two of them have their hands interlocked and well-placed on Yeonjun’s thigh, with rosy blushes on their face as a bonus. 

Choi Beomgyu doesn't want to admit it, no, he will never tell anyone about it — Yeonjun-hyung may even preen himself if he knows — but the boldness of his hyung is what charms Beomgyu the most. 

As soon as the warmth from his hand reaches the inner part of his heart, Beomgyu is suddenly aware that he is the most fortunate person on Earth. Yeonjun-hyung should feel the same, as if their intertwined hands haven't already proven their mutual likings.

Wait a second, he has to take a picture! Beomgyu instantly traces on the zipper of the bag with his other hand, as he clasps the camera and pulls it out. He turns to their hands, quickly aims for the intertwined hands while attempting to hold the tool properly — his index finger reaching for the button — and snap! The abrupt flashlight scares some of the passengers, including Yeonjun. 

“Woah woah woah — hold up there Choi Beomgyu. What were you trying to take a photo of?” Yeonjun parts his lips in confusion.

Seeing how oblivious Yeonjun-hyung is, the said Choi Beomgyu cannot help but laughs. He turns away, retreating his hand from Yeonjun’s to get a good grip of the camera. Like he used to, he picks out the film, this time with his mouth quirks up like a crescent moon. As soon as Yeonjun notices the snarl, Beomgyu turns back with squirted eyes, his right hand clenched into a fist except his index finger. He then presses the finger against his lips and exclaims, “It’s a secret!”

Yeonjun can only return the favour with his pair of squinted eyes.

In any case, Beomgyu is beyond his hyung’s control. Yet what awaits him is another rollercoaster ride — Yeonjun can be ferociously good at playing the innocent. 

It is right at this moment the bus pulls up at the destination. It is a few minutes walk Between the bus stop to the arcade centre, yet the couple dared not to say anything, possibly too fazed by what had happened during the bus ride. Still and all, the whole atmosphere drastically transforms when they take their step into the arcade centre. But the leisure spot is no longer just a place for entertainment — not to mention about the date they are supposed to have — it is a battlefield of life and death now. Who wins an arcade game substantiates of the chosen one (among the two college kids), determines the chivalry of these candidates and even upholds their pride as skilled knights (in gaming).

Though, if Yeonjun and Beomgyu are knights, then they are knights who fall head over toes for each other. Even during the malicious fights, the two are reminded of their brand new relationship, of this romantic first trip they’re acclimating with. Every smile, every touch — even the ruffles on Beomgyu’s head — comes with a special kind of emotion so hard to express clearly. So when the first game ends with Yeonjun winning (again), Beomgyu instinctively reaches to the instant camera hung around his neck (he thought ahead), desperately attempts to capture Yeonjun’s raised hands and his usual euphoric expressions after winning. As long as it is about their first date, everything is worth capturing.

A flood of photoflash flares.

Here comes Beomgyu’s favourite part of the ‘ritual’: watching the film reeling off from the camera, taking the film out, and waiting for the photo to develop. Beomgyu still has not achieved his hidden goal yet, not until he sees the familiar sight of his beloved hyung in the film......

Wait a second. Where is Yeonjun-hyung’s smile in the polaroid?

The said Yeonjun blasts with hysteria, “HAHAHAHAHAHA! How silly you think I’m that easy to give in to your schemes, Beomgyu-ssi~” He glances at the photo in his hand again, this time with careful inspection. Yeonjun-hyung was purposely holding his smile, his two halves of lips pressed on each other so tight it forms a straight line in his face. Even with the stretched arms, Yeonjun looks nowhere rapturous for his first win of today. 

“YJ!!!!!!” Beomgyu exclaims with the same hysteria. He is now very flustered with the awkward situation. Yeonjun-hyung doesn’t know what he is doing at all! 

The first date is now a battlefield and a romantic experience at the same time. Beomgyu has never thought he can endure a continuous series of trials and failure in such a short period of time. He never expects Yeonjun to act up against his harmless little plans. In fact, he is so doomed right now, because Yeonjun takes challenges very seriously. Be it dancing practices, or a simple prank to pull on his friend, he gives his all in everything he does. So it doesn't surprise Beomgyu when the older boy avoids the lens pointing at him all the time. Or, when he chooses to confront the camera, he can pull a straight face out of nowhere. To be honest, Beomgyu was quite amused when the older boy did it at first glance. He considers it as a playful kind of affection from his hyung. But then he gets tired of it quickly — it was never a competition, and no matter how he coaxes or tricks, Yeonjun-hyung never complies. Like how Beomgyu purposively gets Yeonjun to win all the arcade games (he gives away _all_ the attempts — totally not owning up to his lack of skills for a few games), Yeonjun doesn't even flinch at the results, and again, he controls his joyful expressions whenever Beomgyu sees it.

However, Beomgyu hasn’t given up. He still schemes the next attack when they commute from one place to another. An idea finally pops up in his brain the moment they arrive at the coffee shop: Beomgyu will dip his upper lip into the cappuccino foam for good humour. Sure Yeonjun-hyung is going to laugh at his silly face! Contrary to what the younger boy expected however, he is the one who holds his smile this time. Long story short, the older boy does burst out laughing. But immediately he, again with his deadpan face, reaches in, extends his arms, and wipes the white foam away with his thumb, mumbling about his pseudo-carelessness. With a skipped heartbeat, Beomgyu, unable to even utter a syllable, cusses at Yeonjun in his head. Little did he know that his sight has already glued to the handsome boy sitting in front of him. 

Yeonjun chuckles at him, and with a swift second, he hides his smile again. 

Choi Beomgyu is so stunned by the moment. How he wishes his hyung can just hold his laughter for a bit so that he can capture it, treasure it, and keep it in his heart forever. 

What Beomgyu wants, Beomgyu acts up to get it.

In Choi Yeonjun’s defence of his stubbornness, Choi Beomgyu is as reluctant as Yeonjun. Perhaps it was one of the habits that Beomgyu has taken up from him, ever since they became very best friends. Or, to be exact, he loves mimicking his hyung’s behaviours, for a reason he doesn’t wanna admit now — admiration. Choi Yeonjun was such a cool figure to him. You can say he became Beomgyu’s role model the moment he met him in the dancing studio. He still remembers the way he danced with refined skills and idiosyncratic styles: his outstretched arms moved along with the rhythm of the hip-hop music, as his agile legs follow an intricate sequence of footwork; he looked extraordinarily serious, yet his eyes flickered with passion, his lips twisted with pure joy. Beomgyu could not take his eyes away from the man at all. He wanted to do what he was doing. He wanted to learn things from him. He wanted to be like him. 

Not now. All Beomgyu wants right now is his hyung smiling while he takes his precious pictures!

However, little did Beomgyu know, the said hyung hasn’t been liking it so far either. 

They are currently strolling along the Han River after the half-day hustle. With Beomgyu’s instant camera held up against his face, and Beomgyu’s elbow on his shoulder, Yeonjun’s body and soul start to deteriorate. What has his boyfriend signed up for doing all the weird stuff, and why does he grab his own instant camera more than his hand today!

He scoffs, trying to shove the camera away from his sight, “Honestly, what in tarnation are you plotting, Choi Beomgyu.” 

“What are _you_ plotting, Choi Yeonjun-ssi. Why won’t you smile back?” Beomgyu pushes forward.

“Now that’s my problem now? Why are _you_ taking pictures of me from the start?” Yeonjun pushes back.

“What hyung, isn’t it obvious?” Beomgyu, shocked at the reply, gasps and puts a sudden halt to his nudges, causing Yeonjun to nearly falling from the missing opposite force. 

“Hey what —” “I just want to capture your happy face for the first date we have!”

Yeonjun stares at Beomgyu, Beomgyu stares back at him and looks away. 

“You see, if we don’t take pictures now, what can we get a hold of when we get old? How can we remember our first date? I was being thoughtful with our future, but you just have to ruin it!”

“Oh, really?” Yeonjun mutters in a soft voice, astonished by what he has just heard from his boyfriend. Beomgyu, however, is mildly exasperated. He glances back at Yeonjun, “Of course! Seriously, who doesn’t laugh on their first date! Stupid hyung never does things right — ah.”

_Snap!_

“Finally!!!!!!!” Beomgyu's screech has given Yeonjun a jolt as he jumps around in extreme merriment. “You fool YJ!!! You smiled but you didn’t notice!” He sniggers, “Ahahah, after all, you can’t win me because I’m attractive~ ” 

Yeonjun touched his lips in awe. Perhaps He can’t really beat this kid and his mischievously playful attitude. And probably his cute face, just because he has a soft spot on it. 

“Wait a minute.” He turns back to the younger boy, who is suddenly in frantic of whatever happens about the instant camera, as it slowly and steadily rolls out a blank, black film. 

“I used up the film already, why did no one tell me about it!?!”

Another screeches strikes across the air, followed by a gale of laughter.

This time it was Yeonjun who did the guffawing. His laughs die down only until Beomgyu starts to squeal in nonsense. “Admit I won. Then we’re good.” He nods in acknowledgement of his own words with a snobbish sneer.

“Shut up! I prepared another pack of films! I still have my chances.” Beomgyu scoffs back as he pushes Yeonjun. His other hand is in search of the zipper in his bag for the extra pack, as he takes a few steps away from his hyung.

Yeonjun regains his balance from the sudden push. He looks over the distant and sighs, watching Beomgyu minding his own business. Too bad Beomgyu did not witness his hyung’s pout.

“Beomgyu-ah. No photos are worthy without you, okay?” “Wait let me get that loaded hmm, ah got it! What were you talking — hey give it back!”

Yeonjun sprints away immediately with Beomgyu’s instant camera in hand, as Beomgyu chases after him, grumbling in his nagging voice. They run around in a few circles, until Yeonjun comes to a sudden halt and turns his body towards Beomgyu, making the younger one crash into his hyung’s body.

The said hyung takes his opportunity by holding onto Beomgyu’s shoulder, still panting from the chase, “Let me, teach you how, to take the best photo, for our first date —”

A flood of photoflash flares again.

Beomgyu is blinded by the strong light when Yeonjun operates the camera. In this exact same moment, he can also feel a soft, warm sensation pressing against his lips — soft like a cherry blossom petal, and warm like the sudden breeze in late Spring — with a familiar sweet scent up close.

Beomgyu’s eyes dilated with astonishment. Yeonjun bashfully smirks.

Here goes the final film of today’s date, reeled out and developed. The photo slowly reveals two loverboys: one wore a leather jacket and the other with brown hair. Apparently, the boy wearing a leather jacket has just pecked their first kiss on the brown-haired boy’s lips. The former boy looks like he was smiling too. 

At last, Beomgyu did fetch Yeonjun's smile. With a twist.

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this ever since I watched the episode... but it has been lying in my stash for a few months and I still can't English... But I hope the idea brings you happiness! Leave a comment if you wish and thank you so much for reading <3


End file.
